Explosives mimic for testing, training, and monitoring

Abstract

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is used to make mimics for explosives. The process uses mixtures of explosives and matrices commonly used in AM. The explosives are formulated into a mixture with the matrix and printed using AM techniques and equipment. The explosive concentrations are kept less than 10% by wt. of the mixture to conform to requirements of shipping and handling.

The claims are: 
     
       1. An explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring; comprising:
 an explosives mimic having multiple components; 
 an explosive material component comprising one of said components, wherein said explosive material component comprising one of said components includes a layer made of an oxidizer material and a layer made of a fuel material; and 
 a separator material component comprising another of said components. 
 
     
     
       2. The explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring of  claim 1  wherein said layer made of an oxidizer material is an additive manufactured layer made of an oxidizer material and wherein said layer made of a fuel material is an additive manufactured layer made of a fuel material. 
     
     
       3. The explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring of  claim 2  wherein said additive manufactured layer made of an oxidizer material is less than ten percent of the apparatus by weight. 
     
     
       4. The explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring of  claim 2  wherein said additive manufactured layer made of a fuel material is less than ten percent of the apparatus by weight. 
     
     
       5. The explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring of  claim 2  wherein said additive manufactured layer made of an oxidizer material comprises potassium nitrate. 
     
     
       6. The explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring of  claim 2  wherein said additive manufactured layer made of a fuel material comprises sulfur. 
     
     
       7. The explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring of  claim 1  wherein said explosive material component comprising one of said components is less than ten percent of the apparatus by weight. 
     
     
       8. An explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring, comprising:
 an additive manufactured layer made of an oxidizer material, 
 an additive manufactured layer made of a fuel material, and 
 an additive manufactured layer made of an inert material that separates said layer made of an oxidizer material and said layer made of a fuel material. 
 
     
     
       9. The explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring of  claim 8  wherein said additive manufactured layer made of an oxidizer material is less than 10% by weight. 
     
     
       10. The explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring of  claim 8  wherein said additive manufactured layer made of a fuel material is less than 10% by weight. 
     
     
       11. The explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring of  claim 8  wherein said additive manufactured layer made of an oxidizer material comprises potassium nitrate. 
     
     
       12. The explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring of  claim 8  wherein said additive manufactured layer made of a fuel material comprises sulfur. 
     
     
       13. An explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring; comprising:
 an additive manufactured layer made of an oxidizer material, 
 an additive manufactured layer made of a fuel material, and 
 an additive manufactured layer made of an inert material that separates said layer made of an oxidizer material and said layer made of a fuel material. 
 
     
     
       14. The explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring of  claim 13  wherein said additive manufactured layer made of an oxidizer material is less than 10% by weight. 
     
     
       15. The explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring of  claim 13  wherein said additive manufactured layer made of a fuel material is less than 10% by weight. 
     
     
       16. The explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring of  claim 13  wherein said additive manufactured layer made of an oxidizer material comprises potassium nitrate. 
     
     
       17. The explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring of  claim 13  wherein said additive manufactured layer made of a fuel material comprises sulfur. 
     
     
       18. A method of making an explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring comprising the steps of:
 printing a first layer made of an oxidizer material, 
 printing a second layer made of a fuel material, and 
 printing a third layer made of an inert material that separates said layer made of an oxidizer material and said layer made of a fuel material. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of making an explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring of  claim 18  wherein said additive manufactured layer made of an oxidizer material is less than 10% by weight. 
     
     
       20. The method of making an explosives mimic apparatus for testing, training, or monitoring of  claim 18  wherein said additive manufactured layer made of a fuel material is less than 10% by weight.